How to Make Furniture from Reclaimed Wood

Reclaimed wood is an excellent material for constructing fine furniture pieces. Not only is reclaimed wood cheap, it is also extremely attractive and you can get excellent results when you make furniture from reclaimed wood.

Reclaimed wood is readily available. And the choice of furniture pieces is also large. You just need to decide what you are going to make, how you are going to make it, and how you are going to finish the project. Get the best results by planning ahead and using this simple checklist of steps for making perfect reclaimed wood furniture.

Easy Ways to Make Furniture from Reclaimed Wood

Choose Your Wood and Your Construction Style

First, pick your type of wood and match it to a construction style that suits this wood. There are many different types of reclaimed wood. Each type has different qualities. You will get the best results when you match these qualities to an appropriate style of construction. Sometimes you will be able to choose the type of wood based on the type of furniture you are creating. For example, oak and cherry wood are popular for rustic furniture pieces. Beech and maple look great in contemporary furniture.

Dry Kiln Your Reclaimed Wood

You need to make sure that your wood contains the correct amount of moisture since it will shrink and warp in normal temperatures if it does not. You can dry wood in a specialist wood kiln. If you do not have access to a wood kiln you can air dry the wood. You should dry the wood in a place with a lot of good air flow and make sure that you also treat the wood for insects.

Check for Metal

Metal nails or other pieces of metal left in the wood will damage machinery and tools. Remove the metal as best you can.

Make Your Plans

Make it easier to get great results by drawing up a plan for your wooden furniture. You can produce a complicated plan or a simple sketch, depending on your needs and your skill. Whatever type of plan you choose, make sure that it shows how you are going to construct the furniture so you will not make a mistake in the construction.

Prepare Your Wood for Construction

Next, rough mill the lumber. Cut the wood roughly to the right length and width. Plane the wood to get the thickness you need. Glue boards together to get the right thickness. Clamp them together in order to set the wood in place. Next, sand the edges smooth.

Assemble Your Reclaimed Wood Furniture

Now is the fun part! Construct your furniture using your choice of joinery. There are many options for joining wood together. The method you use will depend on your choice of furniture and the type of wood you are using. You should also consider the level of quality you want the furniture to have. Use dovetail joints and mortise and tenon joints for complex and high quality furniture. You can use screws and nuts, or butt joints, for cheaper furniture.

Finish Your Furniture

Now you need to apply a finish to the wood to make it last for a long time, and look good. Use a lacquer or a tung oil. Once you have applied a lacquer finish you need to apply wax in order to get a good sheen to the wood. The more attention you pay to the finish, the better the quality of the final furniture piece. It is worth spending some time on the finish so you get the best results possible.